Vancouver Home Party Now “Closed Incident”

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29791, 6 April 1962, Page 18

Vancouver Home Party Now “Closed Incident”

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

VANCOUVER, April 3

Mrs Ronald Graham said today she would like to forget the controversial party at her home attended by members of the touring New Zealand Universities Rugby Union team.

Canadian Press reported that Mrs Graham said of the March 22 party: “It’s a closed incident as far as Tm concerned.” Canadian Press said that in addition to the New Zealanders, there were other invited guests at the party. The agency report continued: “The British Columbia Rugby Union, highly agitated by newspaper reports of the melee at the Graham home, launched an investigation and offered to pay any damage. But Mrs Graham declined.

The agency quoted Mrs Graham as saying: "They said they would feel better, but I told them I wouldn’t take any money. I told them I would pay for the damage myself. I am not a vindictive person. It was an unfortunate incident but as far as I'm concerned it’s a closed matter now.” The Canadian Press said that following an investigation the union issued a statement It said: “Official in-

vestigation by the British Columbia Rugby Union indicates that no part of the damage alleged to have occurred on March 22 at the residence of Mrs Ronald Graham was in any way the fault or responsibility of Mr Bryce Rope or any player of the New Zealand Universities team.

“Newspaper reports on March 23 have been found to be totally unfounded in so far as any member of the touring teams is concerned, and the publicity associating the New Zealand team with the occurrence is extremely unfair and totally unwarranted.”